I want to apologize for the confusion surrounding access to the online features of Spore. Most of the confusion is stemming from our own mistake in the game manual that states that you can have multiple Spore accounts for each installation of the game. This is incorrect. The information that appears on the box is correct; only one unique Spore account and Screen Name/Persona can be created with each copy of the product. We will correct this information in future iterations of the manual.

I have noted that there are a few other misunderstandings that I hope to clarify here:
• To access Spore’s online features, you will need to register online and create a Spore Screen Name/Persona.
• If you already have an EA.com account, you will only need to Login using that account information and create a Spore Screen Name/Persona.
• Only one Spore Screen Name/Person can be created with a single copy of the game.
• You can play Spore offline, for this reason we have included the ability to play while not logged in.
• If you have installed your copy of Spore on multiple computers, your single account can be actively logged in up to 3 times simultaneously.
• Once you have a Spore account, you can log in with that account on any computer that has an install of any legitimate copy of Spore. On a single install it is possible for multiple users to switch back and forth between unique online Spore accounts. For this reason we have included a Log Out button in the Online Settings options labeled, Disconnect from Spore or change users. The different accounts will be playing in the same Galaxy, and will, therefore, share the same data folders.

I really do appreciate your reply but I think it's important to note that people are upset because this licensing model was not the expected experience.

There is a big difference between "one registration per game" [which is designed to cut back on reselling the game] and "only one screen name/persona" per game.

What EA has effectively done is license the product to the individual person and not the machine. It's along the same lines as saying "you need to purchase one game for each member of your household" even if you only use one computer.

I have both boxes in front of me and The creature creator box also says "only one registration available per game" - yet it supported multiple profiles / sub accounts..

The bottom line is, we should be able to install the game on our PC and any user of the PC should be able to enjoy the game to its full extent.

My wife and I looked forward to playing this game [in turns, on one computer] - each expecting to have our own game data, including achievements. It's that simple... We bought something and now we feel cheated.

This is my BBB complaint:

This is complex to describe but essentially it focuses on reasonable expectations, prior precedence, and industry standards.

This complaint is in reference to EAs marketing and sales tactics in regards to their gaming software titled “Spore”.

History: Computer software is generally licensed to a machine, or to a number of machines to which that product can be legally installed on; generally under the guidelines that only one person may utilize the program at any given time. To which, a user expects [as a common practice] that when they install software on their computer, that any user of that computer can utilize the software to its fullest extent. For example, if you purchase Microsoft Office you expect that any user of that computer can use that software to create documents unless it is made abundantly clear beforehand that you require a separate license for each user.

EA has set expectations and prior precedence that their software would allow users of a single computer to utilize the software, as it was meant to be used. However an unknown number of people were surprised to find out after purchasing and registering the game [which makes it non-returnable] that they would have to purchase separate licenses for each member of their household that wanted to play the game with their own profile or save data.

An EA support representative claims that their packaging states that only one registration is allowed per game installation, and that this should have been interrupted to mean only one profile or one player is supported per license. However, these phrases have two separate and distinct meanings as demonstrated by EA when they released their starter software called “Creature Creator” which contained the same packaging wording however this product was not limited to just one user. EA cannot now claim that they properly warned consumers of this limitation.

In fact, the documentation that came with the game clearly states that the game can support multiple spore accounts (i.e. profiles) per installation – to which an EA support representative now claims is a world-wide misprint.

I personally feel that EA has pulled a “bait and switch”, and had I known of this limitation before purchasing their software I would not have purchased it.

Based on reasonable expectations that users of a single computer can use the software [to its fullest extent]; based on precedence of “Creature Creator” not being limited in this way; and based on the documentation that came with the product:

I request, that EA either update their software or offer refunds.

Sincerely,

This message was edited 20 times. Last update was at 09/17/2008 20:01:07

we should be able to link 3 accounts to the same CD key. that's what everyone thought. my family shouldn't have to spend 150 bucks just to play the same game and share content together and have separate collections and buddies and achievements.

only disappointment i have with this game.

oh and the fact we can't use creations in-game after using the Freedom code. what's up with that? why even give us all the freedom if we can't enjoy it outside the editors?

yes, one key, one account. However, in MMOs you can have multiple characters. That is effectively what is being asked for. Let each memeber of the family have their own character. It is very simple. That character has a unique name, a unique build, unique attributes, but it is still part of the account. In a family with two children, each child wants to be able to mark their own acheivements, have their own creativity show. In the current setup, you have turned them into something like the Grox, in that they are a fusion of both. Individual creativity becomes collective creativity. All that is being asked for is that both of the children are able to have their own unique and identifiable style. Imagine if you will Leonardo Da Vinci and Pablo Piccasso. If these two people were brothers living in the same house playing Spore, they would create radically different thing, but do to the current system they would be treated as the same person. How confusing would that be to people trying to filter or process information by style? You have one person creating radically different things. How would you feel if your brother or sister was able to lay claim to the work you created? Just think of the children!

The Pembleton would like to welcome you to the Arcadian Empire. You will be processed in due time. Please form an orderly queue. Violations will be terminated. Thank you and have a pleasant day.

maxislucy wrote: • Only one Spore Screen Name/Person can be created with a single copy of the game.

• If you have installed your copy of Spore on multiple computers, your single account can be actively logged in up to 3 times simultaneously.

I'm sorry, but that's the most ridiculous way to deal with multiple users I've ever seen.

You see, Spore is promoted as a Family game, where all family members can make their own creatures.
Like in Creature Creator, you could set up your own Spore account and create things under your own account/name.

Restricting Spore to ONE account name kills the fun for the whole family.

-My son definitely doesn't want to create his own Spore creatures/vehicles/buildings under my account name.
-My wife's not happy to hear her cute little "Neaky" character has my name forever burned on it's rear.

Seriously, how hard would it have been to copy a little bit of code from your (EA's) multiple online games, that checks if there's someone else playing on the CD key, and boots them out if there is? That's all you needed to do!
You did not need to mess with the account limitations!

Heck.. You can even track how many different accounts are playing with one CD key, so there goes the argument for increased software piracy too!

And as far as the playing on 3 different PC's statement goes..

I'd guess most families don't have 3 different PC's to install Spore on, and even if they did.. let me quote Maxislucky from the help forums:

There were many reason why we chose to have one account per copy of the game - some had to do with how saved games work and some had to do with limiting the online feature only to the one person who bought the game. We aren't charging a subscription fee for the online features and given the load to our servers we were very interested in making the experience for paying customers not be slow and laggy because of many multiple accounts per copy of the game. 2x to 1000x the number of people with accounts per game equals 2x to 1000x the number of creations on the server.

How does this current setup decrease the server traffic in ANY WAY?

Basically you're saying 3 family members with 3 different accounts playing ONE AT A TIME on ONE PC, would create more server lag than ONE account playing on THREE different PC's simultaneously, which is the way it works right now?

Absolutely ridiculous.. I'd expect better from a big software company like EA!

You have heard the customer feedback on this product.. Please fix it!

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 09/13/2008 00:45:12

@jjwalters3: I've got to disagree with your statement that one user profile/product/whatever is against industry standard. There certainly is no such standard, and, particularly for games that have a significant online component, it is not uncommon to be tied to one login/profile per serial. I want multiple profiles with Spore as well, but the vague "industry standard" argument doesn't really hold.

You seriously think that at the 11th hour, Maxis was worried about people reselling the game, as opposed to the million other things that were necessary to get the game on the shelf? How about the much more reasonable assumption that they did plan on having this feature, then determined that it wouldn't be possible due to technical limitations? This is a PC title, so its resale potential is already drastically diminished. I seriously doubt that this was on anyone's mind.

I agree with JJ and Malys - this is a stupid decision. Why would you make it so only one account can be used with a single installation? You've already "curbed" piracy and resale by limiting the number of activations - why limit your legitimate customers even further, while encouraging them to spend $50 or more just to let other people have their own accounts that take up as much server space and usage as if they were playing from the single user account? This is poor thinking on the part of everyone involved and it has cost you MANY future EA customers. I myself will never purchase an EA game directly again - I'm glad you get no profits from secondhand sales.

hideflomein wrote:I agree with JJ and Malys - this is a stupid decision. Why would you make it so only one account can be used with a single installation? You've already "curbed" piracy and resale by limiting the number of activations - why limit your legitimate customers even further, while encouraging them to spend $50 or more just to let other people have their own accounts that take up as much server space and usage as if they were playing from the single user account? This is poor thinking on the part of everyone involved and it has cost you MANY future EA customers. I myself will never purchase an EA game directly again - I'm glad you get no profits from secondhand sales.

I must say I am also disappointed by this. I purchased the game for my son and I to play and looked forward to comparing our creatures as we went along. He is very excited about the game and has been since I told him about it several years ago.

If he were not young and so excited, I would charge back the purchase and return the product. As it is, I have installed it on his computer and your DRM laden game won't touch mine. I hope he enjoys the game, as it will be the last EA product that this household ever buys.

You put these restrictions and your DRM in to protect you from loss. It is sad you are so short sighted. I don't pirate games, but I do vote with my wallet. I will be buying every game from Stardock they produce if only to support a company that does not treat its customers as common criminals. Have your executives take a close look at what is happening on Amazon - you have reached a tipping point, one that I hope is very costly to you and your shareholders.

I will take the opportunity to thank you, however, as you have done what many of us have failed to do: Get the message out to the average consumer that DRM is bad. I sincerely hope your greed results in financial loss.

Still you people don't leave an explanation on how multiple family members can utilize the full benefits of the game on a single PC.

Are you telling me that I can go to BestBuy and purchase a 2nd copy, then activate it upon my computer, to have full access?

Or do I have to purchase another PC AND a 2nd copy of Spore.

I should not have to buy two copies to play on ONE PC, you know that, and everyone else agrees upon this. Yet EA and Maxis are being so cheap and greedy, not even to share a valid solution for people who want to play this game. You just leave us hanging with BS statements that mean absolutely nothing.